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Features

Health Matters

A monthly feature from  Logan County Health Department

Barbecue food safety

[JUNE 3, 2002]  Cooking outdoors was once only a summer activity shared with family and friends. Now more than half of Americans say they are cooking outdoors year-round. So whether the snow is blowing or the sun is shining brightly, it’s important to follow food safety guidelines to prevent harmful bacteria from multiplying and causing food-borne illness. Use these simple guidelines for grilling food safely.

When shopping, buy cold food like meat and poultry last, right before checkout. Separate raw meat and poultry from other food in your shopping cart. To guard against cross-contamination — which can happen when raw meat or poultry juices drip on other food — put packages of raw meat and poultry into plastic bags.

Load meat and poultry into the coolest part of the car and take the groceries straight home. In the summer, if home is more than a 30-minute drive away, bring a cooler with ice and place perishable food in it for the trip.

At home, place meat and poultry in the refrigerator immediately. Freeze poultry and ground meat that won’t be used in one or two days; freeze other meat within four to five days.

Completely defrost meat and poultry before grilling so it cooks more evenly. Use the refrigerator for slow, safe thawing or thaw sealed packages in cold water. You can microwave defrost if the food will be placed immediately on the grill.

Meat and poultry can be marinated for several hours or days to tenderize or add flavor. Marinate food in the refrigerator, not on the counter. If some of the marinade is to be used as a sauce on the cooked food, reserve a portion of the marinade before putting raw meat and poultry in it. However, if the marinade used on raw meat or poultry is to be reused, make sure to let it come to a boil first to destroy any harmful bacteria.

When carrying food to another location, keep it cold to minimize bacterial growth. Use an insulated cooler with sufficient ice or ice packs to keep the food at 40 F or below. Pack food right from the refrigerator into the cooler immediately before leaving home. Keep the cooler in the coolest part of the car.

Keep meat and poultry refrigerated until ready to use. Only take out the meat and poultry that will immediately be placed on the grill.

When using a cooler, keep it out of the direct sun by placing it in the shade or shelter. Avoid opening the lid too often, which lets cold air out and warm air in. Pack beverages in one cooler and perishables in a separate cooler.

Be sure there are plenty of clean utensils and platters. To prevent food-borne illness, don’t use the same platter and utensils for raw and cooked meat and poultry. Harmful bacteria present in raw meat and poultry and their juices can contaminate safely cooked food.

If you’re eating away from home, find out if there’s a source of clean water. If not, bring water for preparation and cleaning. Or pack clean cloths, and wet towelettes for cleaning surfaces and hands.

Precooking food partially in the microwave, oven or stove is a good way of reducing grilling time. Just make sure that the food goes immediately on the preheated grill to complete cooking.

Cook food to a safe internal temperature to destroy harmful bacteria. Meat and poultry cooked on a grill often browns very fast on the outside. Use a food thermometer to be sure the food has reached a safe internal temperature. Whole poultry should reach 180 F; breasts, 170 F. Hamburgers made of ground beef should reach 160 F; ground poultry, 165 F. Beef, veal and lamb steaks, roasts and chops can be cooked to 145 F. All cuts of pork should reach 160 F.

NEVER partially grill meat or poultry and finish cooking later.

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When reheating fully cooked meats like hot dogs, grill to 165 F or until steaming hot.

After cooking meat and poultry on the grill, keep it hot until served — at 140 F or warmer.

Keep cooked meats hot by setting them to the side of the grill rack, not directly over the coals where they could overcook. At home, the cooked meat can be kept hot in a warm oven (approximately 200 F), in a chafing dish or slow cooker, or on a warming tray.

When taking food off the grill, use a clean platter. Don’t put cooked food on the same platter that held raw meat or poultry. Any harmful bacteria present in the raw meat juices could contaminate safely cooked food.

In hot weather (90 F and above), food should never sit out for more than one hour.

Refrigerate any leftovers promptly in shallow containers. Discard any food left out more than two hours (one hour if temperatures are above 90 F).

Smoking is cooking food indirectly in the presence of a fire. It can be done in a covered grill if a pan of water is placed beneath the meat on the grill; and meats can be smoked in a "smoker," which is an outdoor cooker especially designed for smoking foods. Smoking is done much more slowly than grilling, so less tender meats benefit from this method, and a natural smoke flavoring permeates the meat. The temperature in the smoker should be maintained at 250 to 300 F for safety.

Use a food thermometer to be sure the food has reached a safe internal temperature.

Pit roasting is cooking meat in a large, level hole dug in the earth. A hardwood fire is built in the pit, requiring wood equal to about 2½ times the volume of the pit. The hardwood is allowed to burn until the wood reduces and the pit is half filled with burning coals. This can require four to six hours of burning time.

Cooking may require 10 to 12 hours or more and is difficult to estimate. A meat thermometer must be used to determine the meat’s safety and doneness. There are many variables such as outdoor temperature, the size and thickness of the meat, and how fast the coals are cooking.

Some studies suggest there may be a cancer risk related to eating food cooked by high-heat cooking techniques as grilling, frying, and broiling. Based on present research findings, eating moderate amounts of grilled meats like fish, meat, and poultry cooked — without charring — to a safe temperature does not pose a problem.

To prevent charring, remove visible fat that can cause a flare-up. Precook meat in the microwave immediately before placing it on the grill to release some of the juices that can drop on coals. Cook food in the center of the grill, and move coals to the side to prevent fat and juices from dripping on them. Cut charred portions off the meat.

Meat and poultry hotline:

1 (800) 535-4555 (toll-free nationwide)

1 (800) 256-7072 (TTY)

FSIS website: www.fsis.usda.gov

[News release]

Red Cross

Honors & Awards

Announcements

Wednesday seminar focuses on assisting
domestic violence victims in the workplace

[JUNE 7, 2002]  The Domestic Violence and Abuse Task Force will be conducting a domestic violence seminar from 9 a.m. to noon on Wednesday, June 12, at the Lincoln Park District, 1400 Primm Road.

The seminar will focus on identifying domestic violence victims in the workplace. The speaker for the event will be Shelley Musser of the Sojourn Shelter and Services agency in Springfield. Ms. Musser will also provide resources to enable businesses and agencies to assist victims of domestic violence.

If you are interested in attending this seminar, please contact Dana Brown at (217) 735-2317.

[Logan County Health Department
news release]

Seminar for asthma caregivers

[JUNE 7, 2002]  Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital will present a free seminar for parents and caregivers of children with asthma and for adult asthmatics. This informational event will be on Wednesday, June 12, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. in Conference Room A at ALMH.

Melissa Hardiek, M.D., who specializes in pediatrics and internal medicine, will focus on the symptoms of asthma, warning signs of an attack and what people can do to help prevent an attack.

"I have a lot of parents who bring children into my office stating that their children are wheezing," reports Dr. Hardiek. "Many parents do not know what triggers asthma attacks or what their children should avoid," she adds. Dr. Hardiek, who arrived in Lincoln last August, has a practice with Lincoln Health Care Specialists.

Danielle Will, R.Ph., Pharm.D., director of inpatient pharmacy at ALMH, will explain the different medications and types of drugs that are available to treat asthma.

Sharon Koester, R.R.T., manager of respiratory care, will demonstrate the proper use of inhalers, nebulizers and peak flow meters.

For more information regarding asthma or this free seminar, please call Karen Cluver, ALMH health education coordinator, at (217) 732-2161, Ext. 443.

[ALMH news release]

Men’s health seminar and screening offered

[JUNE 7, 2002]  The Rural Health Partnership will be celebrating Men’s Health Month during June with the following events:

•  June 10, 6:30-7:30 p.m. — Free seminar in Conference Room A at Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital. The subject of Dr. Thomas Zwilling’s presentation is "Prostate Cancer, Diagnosis, Treatment, Recovery." Free materials and a light snack will be provided. Call 732-2616, Ext. 409 and leave name to reserve a seat.

•  June 10-20 — Free prostate screenings on the mobile unit at all regularly scheduled locations. Free PSA blood checks and digital rectal exams will be provided to men ages 50 to 75 and African-American males between 45 and 75. 

For more information, contact 732-2161, Ext. 409.  

[Rural Health Partnership news release]

The Rural Health Partnership has announced the schedule for its mobile health unit for 2002.

For more information on the mobile health unit schedule and services, contact Dayle Eldredge at (217) 732-2161, Ext. 409.

Community resource list

This family resource list to save and use is provided by the Healthy Communities Partnership and the Healthy Families Task Force, 732-2161, Ext. 409.         

(updated 2-15-02)

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